Rent vs buy

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National market update

Pending Home Sales Record Fourth Straight Monthly Gain

Washington, July 01, 2009 - Pending home sales show a sustained uptrend, rising for four consecutive months with very favorable housing affordability and a first-time buyer tax credit boosting activity, according to the National Association of Realtors®. More...

May Existing-Home Sales Continue Rising Trend

Washington, June 23, 2009 Sales of existing homes showed another gain in May, benefiting from favorable affordability conditions and a first-time buyer tax credit, according to the National Association of Realtors®. May’s increase was the first back-to-back monthly gain since September 2005. More...Read more

National housing indicators

Existing home sales ()

4.77 million units*

Existing home median price ()

$173,000

Housing Starts ()

532,000 units*

New home sales ()

National economic indicators

Home ownership

1st Qtr 09

67.3%

1st Qtr 08

67.8%

The homeownership rate (67.3 percent) for the current quarter was lower than the rate in first quarter 2008 (67.8 percent), but not statistically different from the rate in fourth quarter 2008 (67.5 percent).

New home sales

May 09

-0.6%

Apr 09

+2.7%

Sales of new one-family houses in May 2009 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 342,000. This is 0.6% below the revised April 2009 estimate of 344,000.

Source: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

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Regional market updates

View market statistics for your region.

Click on the links below to view data from two different industry sources. Choose information on local prices & state sales from any of 178 metropolitan housing markets prepared by the National Association of REALTORS® or information on sales & price activity from local area markets in 25 states prepared by Clarus MarketMetrics.

Local Sales & Price Activity

Reyes Reyes

Home Ownership matters…to people, to communities, and to America. Why? • For every two homes sold, one job is created in the U.S. • Each purchase generates as much as $60,000 in economic activity over time. Read more

Buying is now cheaper than renting in 74 percent of the nation’s largest cities. Low home prices and “rock-bottom” interest rates as well as tax advantages of homeownership are the reasons why it’s now cheaper to BUY a 2-bdrm home than to rent one. Check out this CNN Money article with the details. Read more

Disclaimer: The views, opinions, statements and/or ideas expressed in this Message Section do not reflect the ideas, policy, position, views or opinion of Move,Inc.

Consumer tips & hot properties

Out of this World Expensive

These homes have come down in price, but are still out of reach for most of us. Eight figures just gets you on the top pricey home list. Take a look at some current listings worldwide. More...

Play it Safe when Selling

While your home is on the market, you’re probably focused on finding a buyer and getting the highest possible sales price. Unfortunately, you should also keep your personal safety in mind. While crimes at properties for sale are rare, they do occur. As a homeowner, you should also take steps to increase your safety while your home is for sale. More...

Are No-Gas Lawn Tools Right for You?

Your Car and Your Privacy

Believe it or not, there may be something more valuable than your car in the shopping center parking lot what’s inside of it! In today’s criminal world, personal information is often worth more than the vehicle itself. More...

House, Condo, Duplex? You Decide What’s Best for You

When you think of buying a home of your own, what do you picture? Many people conjure up an image of a detached, singlefamily house. There’s a yard in front and back, perhaps a fence around the property. That may be a great situation for a lot of folks, but there are other options out there – other types of properties you can call your own. Depending on your situation and goals, you may find something other than a singlefamily house makes the most sense for you. More...
Read more

Camping – a Fun Activity for the Whole Family

Adults and children alike benefit from getting outside and connecting with the outside world. So trade screen time for green time, and head to a nearby state or national campground for an old-fashioned campout! More...

Housing Trends eNewsletter is filled with U.S. Census Bureau key market indicators, consumer videos, blogs, a real estate glossary, mortgage rates and calculators, consumer articles, real estate radio, realtor.com® local community reports and local and national real estate sales and price activity provided by local MLSs and the National Association of REALTORS®.

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